1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an improved label leader and method for inserting a label into a slot on the spine of a loose-leaf binder.
2. Description of the Related Art
The present invention constitutes an improvement to the xe2x80x9cSELF-LOADING BINDERxe2x80x9d disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,681,472 (""472 patent) issued Jul. 21, 1987, and to the xe2x80x9cOVERLAY BINDER INCLUDING EASY-RELEASE LABEL LEADERxe2x80x9d disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,330,279 (""279 patent) issued on Jul. 19, 2001. The invention is also compatible with the xe2x80x9cMETHOD AND TOOL FOR RETROFITTING AN ELONGATED LABEL LEADER INTO THE SLOT OF AN OVERLAY BINDERxe2x80x9d, disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,998,840, issued Mar. 12, 1991. All the above were invented by Paul E. Ruble, one of the inventors for the present invention.
Loose-leaf binders and other bound works may be conveniently provided with transparent overlays on their spines that are sealed along the longitudinal edges of the spine. An elongated pocket or slot is defined between the cover and spine into which a label may be inserted to identify the contents of the bound work. This arrangement is highly preferable to conventional labeling methods such as affixing an adhesive label to the outer surface of the spine, since a label attached in the present manner is protected from wear and tear by the durable overlay.
Without the improvements disclosed in the above-referenced patents, a label is difficult to insert into a binder slot due to the length of the slot, and the fact that the overlay fits tightly over the spine. Attempts to insert a label into the slot will generally result in folds being created in the center portion of the label by the force used to push the label into the slot. Additional damage may also be done to the binder spine and/or overlay if a pen, paper clip, or similar sharp object is used to force the label into the slot.
The arrangement disclosed in the ""472 patent is illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. A bound work, here shown as being a loose-leaf binder 10, includes an end cover or spine 12, and front and rear covers 14 and 16 which are attached to the spine 12 along longitudinal edges 18 and 20 thereof respectively. A transparent overlay 22 is sealed to the spine 12 along or adjacent to the longitudinal edges 18 and 20 to define a pocket or slot 24 between itself and the surface of the spine 12.
In order to enable a label made of flexible paper or the like to be inserted into the slot 24 for identification of the contents of the binder 10, a thin, flexible leader 26 extends through the slot 24 and protrudes therefrom at its opposite ends. As viewed in FIG. 1, the upper end of the leader 26 has a releasable adhesive portion 28 formed thereon which faces away from the binder 10. The leader 26 is long enough so that the ends thereof may be folded back over the spine 20, with the adhesive portion 28 on the upper end being releasably adhered to the facing surface of the lower end of the leader 26 as illustrated in FIG. 2. The ends of the leader 26 are thereby secured together in a convenient and compact manner over the spine 26 of the binder 10 for storage, shipping and sales.
FIGS. 3a to 3d are simplified diagrams illustrating how the leader 26 is used to insert a label into the slot 24 in accordance with the ""472 patent. These figures, as well as similar figures which will be referenced below, are not drawn to scale, but are compressed along the axis of the spine 12 to facilitate description of the invention.
As viewed in FIG. 3a, the lower end portion of a flexible label 30 is pressed down onto the adhesive portion 28 of the leader 26 and releasably adhered thereto. As illustrated in FIG. 3b, the lower end of the leader 26 is then gripped and pulled downwardly, thereby pulling the label 30 downwardly into the slot 24. FIG. 3b shows the label 30 as being pulled approximately half way into the slot 24, whereas in FIG. 3c the label 30 has been pulled all the way into the slot 24.
The leader 26 is released from the label 30 by applying finger pressure to the overlay 22 at a position such as designated by a cross 32 to immobilize the label 30, and then pulling down on the leader 26 with increased force until the adhesive portion 28 releases or detaches from the label 30 as shown in FIG. 3d. 
The directions included with overlay binders, which are sold to the public including label leaders 26 as disclosed in my prior patents, advise that the step of FIG. 3d should be performed by popping the leader 26 free of the label 30 using a gentle side to side motion. No problems are encountered if the directions are followed. However, users who do not receive or read the directions or who are careless and/or impatient tend to jerk on the leader 26 rather than detach it gently as advised.
The adhesive portion 28 must be strong enough to grip the label 30 as it is being pulled through the slot 24, and is detached from the label 30 in the step of FIG. 3d by shear force. If the leader 26 is jerked rather than being gently popped free, part of the label 30 can shear and be torn off by the adhesive portion 28 and detach with the leader 26. It is also possible for part of the leader 26 to be torn off and remain adhered to the label 30 by the adhesive portion 28. The appearance of the label 30 is spoiled in both cases.
Also, the label 30 needs to be adhered to the leader 26 so that both are in longitudinal alignment. This allows the label 30 to be more easily pulled into the slot by the leader 26. If they are not aligned properly, the edges of the label 26 can hit one of the slot""s edges preventing the label 26 from being pulled into the slot or damaging the label.
The leader in the ""279 patent overcomes some of the problems described above by providing an improved label leader arrangement 40 as shown in FIGS. 4a to 4f. The leader 42 can be quickly and easily detached from a label after the leader has been used for inserting the label into the binder slot 41, even if the leader is jerked roughly by a careless user. The elongated, flexible label leader 42 is designed to extend through the slot 41 and protrude therefrom at its opposite ends. A first adhesive portion 44 is formed on one end portion of the leader 42. A label 46 may be inserted into the slot 41 by releasably adhering an end of the label 46 to the leader""s first adhesive portion 44, and pulling on the leader""s other end 48, thereby pulling the attached label 46 into the slot 41.
The leader 42 is improved for easy release or detachment from the label 46 by further including a loop 50 portion which is folded back over and adhered to the surface of the end portion of the leader 42 opposite to the surface on which the first adhesive portion 44 is formed. A second adhesive portion 51 is included to hold the surfaces together to form the loop 50. When the label is pulled completely into the slot 41, part of the leader""s loop portion 50 protrudes from the end of the slot 41.
The leader is detached from the label by pulling on the protruding part 52 of the loop portion 50. This causes the first adhesive portion 44 of the leader to be peeled away from the label 46. The peeling action, as opposed to the shearing action as in the arrangement of the ""472 patent, enables the adhesive portion to easily and smoothly detach from the label without tearing the leader or label, even if the end of the loop portion is jerked roughly rather than being pulled gently as directed.
One disadvantage of this leader is that it is more complicated and more expensive. It is also more bulky than the leader disclosed in the ""472 patent. As a result, the binder requires more storage space and the leader has a greater tendency to be damaged during storage. The adhesive part of the leader occasionally tears away part of the label when the leader and label are separated, damaging the appearance of the label. Also, the label and leader can be adhered out of longitudinal alignment making it difficult to pull the label into the slot.
The present invention is an improved apparatus for labeling the spine of bound works. One embodiment of the apparatus includes an improved flexible label leader to load labels into a binder slot. The leader has a first end portion having an adhesive section for adhering a binder label thereto. It also has a second end portion for pulling the label adhered to the first end portion into a binder slot, and a middle portion between the first and second end portions that resides in said binder slot. The adhesive section of the first end portion in detachable from the remainder of the leader.
A bound work is also disclosed which comprises a cover and a transparent overlay which is sealed along its longitudinal edges to an outer surface of the cover to define a slot between the cover and the overlay which has top and bottom transverse ends which are at least partially open. A flexible label leader is included that has a central portion which extends through the slot. It also has a first end portion which protrudes from the top transverse end of the slot with an adhesive section for adhering a binder label thereto. A second end portion, which protrudes from said bottom end of the slot. The label leader includes a means for detaching the adhesive section from said first, second and central portions with the preferred means being a transverse perforation.
In operation, the adhesive section of the flexible label leader is adhered to the back surface of a label and the leader is then used to pull the label into the binder slot. The leader is then removed from the label by tearing the perforation, leaving the adhesive section adhered to the label in the slot. This eliminates the possibility that the label will be damaged when the leader is removed from it. If the bottom edge of the label is aligned with the transverse perforation, the adhesive section that remains is not visible. Also, if the label""s bottom edge is aligned with the perforation, the label and leader are longitudinally aligned to provide for label loading without interfering with the edge of the slot.
By having a perforation the new label leader is more adaptable for use in automatic label loading equipment. The new leaders fold flatter for storage compared to the loop leader embodiment and are less likely to be damaged in storage. Leader removal is more easily understood by end user without having to reference the use instructions.
These and other further features and advantages of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, taken together with the accompanying drawings, in which: